사이버문화의 확산에 따른 신종 경제범죄의 증가와 그 대응방안

Countermeasures against New Types of Economic Crimes by Cyberculture Spread

Recent advances in the cyber culture have made our lives much easier and more comfortable. On the other hand, not only hacking and virus dissemination are on the rise, but the cyberspace is suffering from illegal obscenity and harmful data. Among the dysfunctions of cyber culture, it is worth mentioning the newly emerging economic crimes, in particular, the so-called ‘cyber card kkang’ or credit card fraud. This phenomenon refers to illegal loans through credit cards arranged by credit unions who simultaneously are affiliated to credit card companies, to permit big amount of credit loans and offer them at an outrageous interest rate to people who are urgently looking for money. Credit unions lend the money after taking a big interest portion and by using the credit card as a mortgage. After collecting the credit cards’high interests, they will further profit through unjust enrichment by charging fraudulent orders. Credit card frauds are rapidly growing because of the active and fastgrowth of e-transactions through the internet. As methods are diversifying and transactions are becoming more precise, such fraudulent activities promote the black market; damage distribution orders and lead to money laundering through document-free transactions. Furthermore, civilians become bad creditors and delinquents due to their arrears, inciting a higher probability to commit criminal acts. Moreover, this newly emerging crime affects the basis and foundation of credit card companies as well as it harms national economy. Thus it must be address as a socio-economic problem. Its solution relies on a deeper research and proposals on countermeasures for criminal law policies.